Sedum looks incredible at this time of year, especially following the warm, wet weather we’ve been experiencing here on the South coast. But come late July and August, as the plant limbers up to produce those spectacular helipad blooms, the stems become unwieldy, obese, and unable to balance. They flop over and recline on the soil. It’s not pretty. A plant which resembles a doughnut, with a large map of bare, ugly stems in the middle needs tough treatment now.
So it’s time to give your sedum a haircut. Yes, a nice big chop. Cut those lush and soft stems back by half in the next few weeks, and you’ll be rewarded with better blooms on an upright clump. It might look a little spiky for a while, like a young boy emerging from an enthusiastic barber’s, but this plant needs tough love. And you don’t need a doughnut in your herbaceous border.
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Goodness, is it that time of year again? Thanks for the reminder, and you’re absolutely right. I usually chicken out, but this year I am going to be firm. I shall mutter “tough love” to myself as I chop away.
Philip Voice
Great advice.
I always do the same otherwise the leggy stems part when they get too heavy and expose the crown.
Tatyana
Thanks for remindidng!
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